Reflections POV: Goniff
by Estsanatlehi
Summary: The final piece in the POV series. I had special inspiration from my adopted brother, singer/songwriter Kevin who wrote a great song called "It's Raining Cats and Dogs in Hackney". Thanks, Kev! Thank you also to everyone who has followed the Reflections series. Your feedback has been really helpful. Enjoy!


**Reflections POV: Goniff**

The silence in the car was deafening in itself. Every man in the car was wrapped up in his own thoughts. They pulled up in front of what passed for home at present. As they got out, three went inside, one started in, then changed his mind.

The gloomy night suited his mood right now. He decided to walk down the Roman Road to walk off the gloom. Maybe he'll find some mates from the old days at the pub. He needed some cheer right now.

As he walked, memories of the old days came back. He grinned as someone took advantage of an inattentive lorry driver as they pinched some things out of the back. He watched critically as some of the up and coming teens practiced their pickpocket skills on the unsuspecting. He shook his head. They had a long way to go to make it to the professional leagues! As he looked around, he noticed Hackney hadn't gone untouched from the Blitz. That didn't help his mood any.

He came to the old, familiar local. Just as he was about to go in, he heard a homely voice shout, "'ey, Goniff, mate; good to see you now!" He turned and grinned to see a woman about fifteen years or so older than him rush toward him, carrier bags in hand.

"Sally! Stingo Sally, what a sight! 'ere let me give you an 'and!" He took one of her bags and offered her his arm.

"Your Mum always taught you right! You're always a gentleman." They made their way to a corner table. He ordered two pints and turned to Sally. "Look at you in uniform. I wouldn't have thought that of you! Mum and Molly must be proud, they must!"

He gave a crooked, slightly embarrassed grin. "They ain't seen me in the uniform. The government made me an offer I couldn't refuse, and that's 'ow I'm here and in the uniform. I told Mum in letters and she was chuffed." The grin faded to heavier thoughts as the beers arrived.

"Now something's amiss, I can tell. You can't 'ide anything from Old Sally; you never could. Out with it, lad!"

"Now, Sally, I want to know how it is with you and your family. You're like another aunt to me."

"Things don't change much. First flat got taken out in one of the Blitz attacks. Salvaged everything I could and got another flat with the council's help. Manage to salvage bits like usual to sell from what people don't want. Same old this, same old that. Now, lad, think of me as that Auntie. Talk to your Auntie Sals."

He started to tell her about the Warden, about the others, but mostly about the Warden. He told her about he was the last to leave a firefight to make sure the men in his team were safe. He told her about giving him a hard time, teasing him that he was trying to win the war by himself and his team. He then got very serious, telling her about the time he could have stood down from a mission and let them face a suicide mission, but he was going to stand or fall with his men.

"Sals, on that mission, he was the one that got shot! And after everything he went through and we weren't always good watching his back, he pulled us together to complete the other half of the mission. Now 'e's in the stockade for something he didn't and couldn't do! We tried to spring him, but he wouldn't have none of it! Don't know why we bothered," he said bitterly. "'e can speak French and German. He knows so many of the people on the continent, he could be free as a bird there and still fight the Jerries! Me, I can just come back 'ere, Actor can go to Italy, Casino to New York. Chiefy might have problems but I think he'd make it."

"Goniff, from what you told me, he couldn't do nothing different," Goniff looked up in surprise. "He is a man who can only live one way, and that's straight and honest. He didn't grow up in Hackney, dodging this and that. You can flit 'ere and there and that's you. I don't think you could come back to the same old life here. This Warden of yours has changed you and you don't know it. 'e can't live looking over his shoulder. 'as he got family? What would it do to him to leave them behind and on the run? Even now, you're upset as much FOR 'im as angry with him for not going with you lot. I'll bet he's worrying about you lot as we talk."

"Yeah, he was asking us to turn ourselves in. Said the Army might give us a break."

"That's the kind of man he is, that's why you care."

"I should just blind off now and be done with it."

"You can't do that. I said; you've changed."

"Nah."

"Oh, no, you have. I wouldn't trust you around anything shiny or if I were a mark of yours, I'd wouldn't have bus fare to get home. But there is something that has changed. Good or bad, it's for you to decide," she said with a grin. "But give your Auntie Sals a kiss and be off with you. I'll keep you, your friends, and your Warden in my thoughts. And give my love to your Mum and Molly."

He kissed on her cheek. "Thanks, Sals. You take care. I'd better get back in case the guys have come up with something." They walked out of the pub together. They parted and he headed back. He turned around to wave, but could only see a shadow in the fog. He headed off, not lighter hearted perhaps, but he wasn't as down. There has to be a way out of this, and maybe they will find the key. Or maybe Casino could pick the lock!


End file.
